This recreation area is part of Center Hill Lake

Edgar Evins State Park Campground

As avid campers and new Camper trailer owners, we've set out on a journey to enjoy as many parks as possible. 

Signage and entrance is well lit, easy to find and navigate. There's a welcome center, camp store,  sells firewood and ice (no propane LPG) and great sites. 

One of the best parts of this park is the views. If you're able to go/get to camp during the day, you'll see spectacular views of the lake/dam and river. 

The RV campsites are all in great shape, and are like a camping on a side pier. Bathroom was nice, hot water and clean. Dump station was in nice shape and overall was a beautiful place. 

Overall, we're seeing that TN stateparks tend to be nicer and better kept up than Army Corp of Engineer parks which all typically close at Oct 31st. 

We'll be back Edgar! 

One of TNs Best Parks

**Campground review**:Edgar Evins State Park is easy to find right outside Silver Point, Tn. About 10 minutes from I40\. An hour west to Nashville and you are in the big city again.

My first time to Edgar and I LIKE IT! I will be back. It was easy to find everything due to the frequent signs pointing the way.

The campground is unique and in some cases, if your pulling/parking an RV , Challenging! First campground I've ever been to that you park on a deck.

The sites are tiered and you will get a workout if your walking from one level to the next, which if you need the showerhouse , you will be on certain tiers. :)

A very clean. Well kept showerhouse and there is a laundry near the primitive parking area.

Only thing that I didn't care for was the need for the fire pit to be off your footprint( obvious why) and the lakeside sites surprisingly did not have east access to the lake. ( okay two things)

The 6 marked trails were easy to find and moderate/strenuous. Plenty of water for your hobby needs and two boat ramps and a marina.

**Product Review**:

As a Dyrt Ranger I've had the opportunity to test products while enjoying various parks. Today I tested/tried [BOOST OXYGEN](https://www.boostoxygen.com).

Now, being me I have to say getting a box of canned air made me chuckle. I get the concept of Boost Oxygen and have read the data. I am an athlete of sorts because I trail run. However I fall far short of the elite athletes you see on television sucking down oxygen on the sidelines of professional sports.

That being said I was surprised by the results after puffing up one of the extended hills here at the park. (Perfect place for a test) there was no, slow down at the top to catch my breath and then pick back up after I could breath again. I took a few long slow breaths from the Boost Oxygen and trucked right on.

Now, if your outta shape this isn't the end all be all, lol. But I can see where it would be useful on the trail. I'm carrying it along on my next trail race to see how portable it is, the weight is not a problem, but I have the full size bottle. Boost Oxygen comes in a smaller size, I didn't think to get one. I am going to continue to test it as the weather gets hotter to see how much it helps in humidity.

One con for me is I wish the cans were refillable, maybe something for the future. At least recycle them to cut down on waste.

Otherwise, if you are in need of a "boost" on the trail or as you compete in whatever sport Boost Oxygen would be a definite option to help optimize your performance.

Ranger Review: Boost Oxygen at Edgar Evins State Park

Nice lake, but poor camping. Most sites were on elevated wood pads, walk in sites had gravel pads. The gravel on the walk in pads was huge and pretty much requires a blow up mattress

Ok site, camping pads horrible

Pretty campground on water. Even though it's a mostly RV type place there are some good tent sites and it's a pretty remote quiet place. Very good bathrooms and showers.

Good Campground, on water

**Edgar Evins State Park** off I40 exit 268, 4.8 miles to the park entrance.

As soon as you enter the park you start driving up. The campground starts at the top of the hill and the sites are decks! Pro- you are tree top level and pretty good on privacy with trees in between sites. Con- your fire pit is obviously not on the wood deck so it’s a walk back and forth if you don’t have alternative cooking methods.

Next something to consider if you are not proficient in backing your camper this may not be the first campsite you wanna practice at. Some of these sites you are backing uphill, up a ramp onto the deck, little tense.

Another pro- unless it’s Predator they can only come at you from one direction.....( zombies and such. Lol) Con - your either walking downhill or uphill to get to the shower house , that being said there are stairs and trails to take to the shower house.

I did not stay in the primitive site area but did check out the area. #5 looked like it could support a **Tentsile Tree Tent.** There was a water point in that area and the sites were spaced out pretty good.

The main attraction at Edgar is the water, the rather large Marina is directly across from the lowest site level. Take your fishing pole and water craft with you ;) There are trails that are hiker and biker friendly with some nice scenery. Near the front gate is the Caney Fork Outdoors and Big Rock Market.

Decked out...

I'm from New England and relocated to Tennessee in 2016\. The first time I went camping at Edgar Evans, I had no idea what was going on! All I saw was platforms, and what I considered 'normal' camping sites were labeled 'primitive' sites. I was in total awe. I didn't know how it was going to work with a tent, but my boyfriend showed me that all you need to do is bring nails to hammer down and secure your tent to the wooden platform. Where as I was at first turned off by the platform, there are a few pluses:

-It rains A LOT in Tennessee. When I used to camp up north, we got flooded out during heavy rains, as we were camping directly on the ground. The platform keeps you elevated, so digging a trench around your tent is a non-issue.

-If you get a waterfront site (HIGHLY recommended), the views are gorgeous. I'd say go for the sites in the lower 40s - they're super close to a bathhouse and a few paths that will bring you down to the edge of some gorgeous cliffs, giving you the best view in the site. If you go in the other direction, you'll be looking at a community of house boats, which kinda blew my mind, as clusters of houseboats aren't really a thing up north, either.

-You can comfortably fit two tents on a platform; three is pushing it, but we've seen people pack around four in (which I don't think you're actually supposed to do).

-Something else I've noticed in TN - virtually all camping takes place at State Parks, and Edgar Evans is one of the few that actually offers wooden platforms and primitive sites. Most of them offer concrete platforms for RVs and smaller trailers, making it difficult to camp with a tent.

The sites in the lower 40s also offer more level ground for the fire pits. Some sites have a really steep drop off, which make it difficult to place chairs and sit and relax without being a little wobbly.

There's also a pretty big trail system to explore, and it seems like you might need to set aside an entire day to do the loop in its entirety - we're still planning on doing that! I find that I get more immersed in relaxation mode when I'm there instead of active hiking mode - taking a chair down to the cliffs and sitting by the water with a book makes for some beautiful downtime!

All of this being said, this is our favorite spot! We've come here at least twice, if not three times a year since I've moved down here. The staff is friendly and helpful, the campers are friendly, and there's usually lots of adorable dogs around to pet lol! Definitely love this place!

Scenic, Peaceful, and a Totally Difference Experience!

Campgrounds were clean and spaced out welll, every camp site has its own square to prevent sleeping on top of one another. Campsites are right near the lake with plenty of hiking trails !

Camping

Almost all of their sites have a view of the lake. Tent sites give just enough space for seclusion and everyone sites are on elevated platforms. Plenty of bathhouse access and if you like to paddle the candy is close by too.

All the Water Views

Nice campsite with platforms for campers. Great access to Center Hill Lake and the Caney Fork River.

Kayak Fishing trip

Came in on a Friday with reservations &amp; prepaid so no hassle getting straight into our campsite. Unique campground with 60 sites, most of which are wooden decks dotted all along the hillside overlooking Center Hill Lake. This time of year there is so much foliage on the trees that you could hardly see your neighbors. The park was really quiet to have been almost full the weekend of our stay. I would rate it 5 stars but there are only 3 bathhouses for the 60 sites and with the boy scout troop staying the same time we were they got REALLY busy in the evening hours. They were extremely clean to be utilized as much as they are. We will make it a regular spot throughout the season. 

Special note - most of the sites have electric &amp; water on the LEFT SIDE (looking into the site) so be prepared to either lose a few feet of the site to move your camper closer OR take extra lengths to reach across. 

Verizon service 4G LTE in most areas of the park we visited. 

B-E-A-Utiful State Park

We stayed here in November 2017; we camped in the primitive camping section which has a parking area up top and you hike with your equipment down some stairs into a wooded area with about 7 primitive campsites. We could see and hear the lake from our campsite and though there were a few other folks camping too, it was pretty quiet and very relaxing. We packed up during the day to explore other nearby parks like fall creek falls and Cummins falls but came back at night to camp. Our stuff was safe and there was plenty of room for 2 tents on the camping pad. The site we stayed at was sloped a bit so we ended up sleeping in our hammocks, but that was lovely too. Bathhouse was only a short hike away and there were strategically placed water pumps where we could get water near our campsite. Overall a great experience and cheap too.

Great primitive camping experience

We loved this primitive tent camping spot. All sites were nestled in the woods along the edge of the lake. Each site had a fire ring &amp; tent landing. It was near parking, but all gear had to be carried into the woods. These were not pull in campsites. Shower house was a decent walk. Maybe at 1/4 mile? Water spigots were dotted throughout the woods, but not at every site.

Primitive Tent Camping in woods by lake

When you come to a park on a mountain, most of the time you find your campsite is riddled with rocks, uneven or somehow an attempt to make a level surface has been made. Fact is, most of the time the ability to address such an issue is ill thought and you spend a lot of your time setting up to find the spot which best suits.

But not here! Here they have built platforms for making camping easier, even in the worst of hilly conditions.

These little mini decks are spread throughout the park and made available for campers in tents as well as RVs, depending on the area you select your site. It is like a deck built to withstand heavy objects.

Let me just explain the level of confusion I had when I arrived at my site and saw this however…lol. As a tent camper I had all the normal questions you might have when seeing a deck: What is this? How do I secure my tent to it? Do I park on it too? Is this going to make my floor of my tent feel weird?

It wasn't to long after I saw another tent camper, also on one of these pads, that my entire world made sense and soon I was settled in and enjoying a great view, all thanks to my elevated and even pad. It was almost spoiling me!

The typical amenities are present, picnic table, grill, power (some not all sites) and nearby was a nice bathhouse and store. It was a great retreat.

The lake itself was beautiful, just made me wish I had a canoe with me to enjoy it a bit more. But since I couldn't I enjoyed the outdoor spaces lining the shoreline instead and checked out some of the hiking trails here. LOVED the hiking here!!

Inside the Visitor Center you also can find a really cool observation tower that if you are willing to put the foot work in and climb you can see some of the awesome views from high atop the world!!

TIPS:

*   Watch for deer!! There seems to be a deer around every bend here and around dusk they have zero fear of the road.
*   Rent a kayak from the store just across the street from the main entrance, they have day and week rates available.

An Interesting Approach To Steep Surfaces

This is one of our favorite places. Great engineering to make the platforms hang off the slde of cliffs. This place is very quiet, VERY clean one of the top places near Nashville.

Awesome Platforms that overlook Center Hill Lake

The TN website was down so I was unable to book a site ahead of time and calling I found out the store closes at 4.  Not a problem, they said pick a site without a res and pay in the morning.  Beautiful view of the lake but werid to be a tent camper with the nice decks.  I pick a site with a spot of dirt on the side.  Plan ahead, I didn't consider that I couldn't buy firewood after arriving and there was little to choose from in the woods also I may go for the very nice primative sites in the future.  You have to walk in but no one was there this trip.  I didn't even know they were there until I took a walk the next morning.

Great Campground 

Stayed at the primitive sites several times for my birthday. Their is parking nearby, but you either have to hike up or down a hill to get too and from the sites. Totally worth it. The facilities are very nice and the hikes I’ve done are lovely! Huge bonus feature is the awesome and picturesque observation tower at the visitor center, which is conveniently near a trailhead. Favorite part of Edgar Evins is the river access, which allows you to do some cliff jumping and offers a beautiful sunset view! 

Cliff Jumping FTW! 

Edgar Evins State Park is a large park with lots of activities for young and old. However, if you want to stay in the campground, make sure to take a freestanding tent unless you have creative ways to keep your tent up. Most of the sites have wooden platforms, and the fire pits are beside the road. Perhaps most people like that sense of permanence, but I personally prefer solid ground or even gravel pads. Fortunately, the one I used was a free-standing tent. There is another option, and that is to stay in the primitive camping area. Of course, they are walk-in sites, but they are not far from where you park. I would normally choose the primitive camping area for a couple of reasons. There is a little more privacy, and you have soft ground on which to pitch your tent. Obviously, if you are an RV camper, staying in the primitive area does not apply. Unfortunately, it was better this time to choose a site that you don’t have to walk to. Out of all the state park campgrounds I have visited, the bath rooms in this state park are the best. They are modern with tiled floors, and the showers resemble ones you would find at privately owned campgrounds. There are several different activity options—volleyball, horseshoes, playgrounds, hiking trails, etc. There is also an aviary, a marina, a restaurant, and a couple of boat ramps. For the children, there is the“Storybook Trail.” For other overnight options, there are also cabins that you can rent. In retrospect, the primitive area would have been a better choice. It definitely would have been more quiet. No matter whether you stay in the primitive area or the regular camping area, you will encounter hilly terrain. The camp store is fully stocked with most of your camping needs, and there is also a laundry. Overall, Edgar Evins State Park was a good place to spend time, but again, I have my doubts about the wooden platforms.

A Campground with Lots to Do but with Interesting Tent Pads

Despite the fact that we were tent camping, we booked in a premium site, on the water with power and water. The sites are on platforms over the lake bank. We loved this campground! It is very clean. The bathrooms and showers were immaculate as well, despite the fact that the campground is at capacity. Good WiFi signal. Camp store is on site. Marina is a one mile hike, or accessible by car. Sites on the lake have water, electric, fire ring and second water spigot.
One downfall is that there is poison oak EVERYWHERE.  The boardwalk to the bath house is lined with it. Choose which walkway you use, because the one from the cove can’t be walked without poison oak brushing your feet and legs.
Checkout is noon. 
We had a great stay.

Beautiful, peaceful sites on the water

Beautiful and quiet campground on Center Hill Lake, but getting down to the lake isn’t real easy. Lots of trees between sites so they are private.  Bath houses are super clean. Camped with friends, so it was a little awkward having to go from deck to deck and the fire ring wasn’t situated in an area where you could set out chairs and hang out. We were in sites 16 and 17 and would have liked to have been warned about the steep incline as you pull onto the deck (damaged bumper of rv 😬) All that being said, we were able to book these 2 sites together last minute and had a wonderful time. 

Beautiful and quiet

Wonderful camping trip with the husband and friends even the pups enjoyed their trip! Had a blast kayaking the river too! Extremely clean and updated bathhouse!

Great location! 

Great camp close to the water. Convenient water and electricity. Very clean restroom and showers. Park is pretty with lake but also trails for hiking. Saw lots of wildlife.

Birthday camping

Edgar Evins SP is unique in that the campground sites are decks, which is actually pretty cool.
Now the one down side is that certain sites can be a challenge to back into. If you are a talented backer upper shouldn’t be an issue. However if your backing up could use some practice, and/or causes fights with your spouse you may want to call and ask the easier sites to set up in...just saying, less stress. 
The bottom sites are along the lake and you are across from the marina. Another thing is your cooking area is off the side of your deck with your picnic table.
The primitive sites are walk in and have some pretty sweet views of the lake. Downside your walking up and down a slope with your gear. 
Speaking of slopes, the whole campground is on a slope so your pretty much either going up or down. Cool stairways to use and strategically placed facilities. The store  and trash are located wheee you park for the primitive sites at the entrance. 
There’s a trail in the campground that gives you a quick route to the beach area.

Sorta like a treehouse 

I’m not sure how to put it all into words. This might be the most perfect setup we had found. The grounds are ideal for any weather, which is probably why it is open year round. They have primitive campgrounds, electric, premium electric, and cabins. All are great and all offer a view. The staff has been amazing as well. Everything is nice and clean and very well maintained. 

I can’t complain about anything that is for sure. The platform camping is new to us but certainly ideal. We stayed in 38 as we didn’t want to have a view of the marina. However any of the sites would be good sites. I would suggest the sites around the handicap sites as they are lower and the view is obstructed plus you can get down to the water. 

Seriously...this might be paradise!

I was very skeptical about the sites being pier-like decks. Some of the sites just don’t have a lot of room, especially around the fire pit and bbq. But there are a couple gem spots if you scout before you book. We had a great time. Great place. 

An acquired taste

Definitely enjoyed our stay at Edgar Evins! The unique platform style camp sites worked out great since it rained 2 out of the 3 days we stayed here. The platforms allowed for no accumulation of water or mud, so much less post camping cleanup involved with this trip!  But, I could see how some sites would be difficult to back into if you had a larger rig. Our small travel trailer had no problems though on the small roads and tight turns. Most sites seemed fairly spread apart from each other and were somewhat secluded thanks to the thickness of the trees this time of year. We stayed on site 6, right next to some stairs that lead to a path to the bathroom/shower facilities. The stairs were great, however the pathway located in this part of the campground is a dirt path on a rocky and hilly terrain. Probably not the greatest for those not too swift on their feet. Seemed like the sites located lower in the campground had a paved pathway to the facilities, which would be much more ideal. Also, if you enjoy sitting around the camp fire, it appeared that many of the fire rings were located right next to the road and many on a slight incline due to the layout of the camp sites. Some sites looked to have a flatter and better fire ring area than others though. Overall we really enjoyed the park, every ranger and park employee we talked to was extremely friendly. And you are located close to the water for fishing and boating access! I’m sure we will return!

Unique and quiet campsites

The state park is quite large. The campground is in the back near the marina but it is still nice and quiet. There is a small camp store that has ice and very few other things. The campground is clean and well maintained. 
The sites are what is completely different than any campground I have ever been too. They are wooden platforms that you drive on. They are pretty large and some larger than others depending on the site. BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN PICKING YOUR SITE!!!! I didn’t pay much attention to the incline that it said my site had. When we gat there it was a very steep incline. I was only pulling a pop up but by looking at the platform I wasn’t the only one that had trouble getting into this site. 
After trying several different directions and bottoming out every time I just decided to unhook and push the camper into place. That was fun too. 
Once everything was in place it was a nice site. Our second afternoon there we had a pretty big thunderstorm that lasted into the night. Normally everything would be muddy and dirty from the storm but the wood platform was nice. Didn’t even mind letting the dogs out. 
There are sites along the water that I would recommend for the view. We got one on the inside loop as it was a last minute trip. All in all not a bad campground and a new camping experience. 

Different way to camp

Be wary of the speed bumps throughout the campground, they are closely spaced and rather abrupt, take them very slowly. The sites are all elevated platforms due to the steep slope to the lake, which we had not encountered before, but are very widely space. We were in site 50, which had no visibility to DISH west satellites, and we were not able to pick up and OTA TV with our omni antenna. Most of the fire rings are in a narrow strip of gravel along the road, but you can get chairs around most of them. The campground was less than half full during the week. There are several trails in the park, but we were only here two days and only got to hike the one to the marina, which was nice. AT&amp;T had 2 bars and 1 MB/s w/o a booster, 3 bars and 4 MB/s with it. Overall WiFi was problematic. We were able to get connected and got 3 MB/s once, but unable to get a connection with any data rate the rest of our stay and the park was not that busy.

This is a nice, fairly small state park campground

November 16, 2020
We arrived after dark, and left fairly early the next morning so didn’t spend a lot of time there. Went for a short walk before we left in the morning. Parking sites are on wooden platforms which was fine for our Winnebago Revel, but a bit weird for my daughter who was sleeping in a tent, but it all worked out fine. The only amenities we used were the dump station and restrooms. Restrooms were clean and heated. 

Beautiful lake and limestone formations but that’s about all we saw of the park. 

Quick stopover

We love the platform sites that are so spacious and private. Easy access to dump station and bath houses. Almost all sites have view of water. It was very peaceful and quiet. It is very affordable especially for state employees. We will return. 

Love the Platform sites

We had fun! A unique experience to camp on wooden decks looking out on to the lake. My only complaint was the power was having some issues with the power. It was fine with my little family in our tent, but some of my family in their camper wasn't happy. The ranger and electrician worked on the breaker until 1am. So it wasn't like they didn't care. Some of the platforms were very difficult for larger campers to park without scraping the bottom. I was grateful to only have our tent to worry about. 

The platforms were cool!

A beautiful and unique campground built I. The side of a rolling hill. All of the sites are cantilevered platforms on the hill.  The platforms are heavily engineered so no worries about collapse!  The platforms make for very level camping and amazing views. You feel like you are in a tree house.  The park is a gorgeous property with a lake and hiking trails.  There are ADA sights. The hills are steep and some of the sights have angle ramps.  Each one is well detailed on the reservation sight so make sure you read the site info.  There is a bathhouse, laundry, camp store and Park office.  This is the only campground in the US like this and it is all nestled in the Tennessee hills.  

Absolutely fantastic 

Camping on raised wooden platforms was like no other campground I’ve ever seen. The park ranger claimed it is the only campground in the world like this. Tons to do in the park as well. We went to the visitor center, nature center, storybook hike, and walked around the lake. 

Like No Other

Last minute find after check in had closed. Ranger Chadwell helped us find a spot for the night and gave us info about the park.

Bathrooms were clean, showers with hot water sites overlooking the lake were great and it was very quiet at night.

Awesome State Park with everything you need

Camped here on the way home. We got in late so we didn’t get to really explore but waking up we got to see how pretty the park is. Bathrooms and showers are spotless and smell clean. They have a place to buy wood and a camp store. 

Deck camping

This campground is very heavily wooded and overlooks Center Hill Lake.  Most sites are on large wood decks built into the hillside that are robust enough to drive rvs onto.  Well maintained and a real value price.  Only issues were a very steep approach onto the deck (dragging bottom of tow hitch) and electrical hookups on the wrong side for back on.  We were able to dolly around on the hitch wheel.

Nice park and a great value

We stopped in for a quick overnight on a road trip.  It was nice separation between sites.  Good clean bathhouse.


Nice and spread out

Each site is on a wooden deck constructed over a ravine, some are next to the lake. Pay close attention to the specifics of what will fit in each site - many will not work for larger rigs. 
This is one of our all-time favorite campgrounds because it’s so unique. 

So unique!

The wooden platforms offer a cool, unique campsite experience. Unfortunately, the fire ring and sitting area is to the side of the platform, right on the road. Many people park along the road because they can’t fit their big camper and vehicle both on the platform. It made for a few very tight squeezes. 

We enjoyed dinner at the marina and climbing to the top of the lookout tower.

Unique campsites

Campground is great with unique platform sites. The bathrooms were clean. 

Unique campsites 

This is my favorite place to camp. If you have furbabies you will love it. All campsites except the primitive are huge decks. Electric,  water, grill, fire ring, picnic table and canopy of trees. Bathrooms are always clean. Showers have hot water fast. Fire wood is all around in the woods. Kayaking is great! Put in below Center Hill dam. 6 mile run of clear cold water! Stocked with trout. I don't  fish but if you do, you will need a trout stamp. If you don't own kayaks there is a store called Big Rock Market. You can contact them and they will set you up with kayaks and they drop off and pick you up. So, back to the campground. Dog friendly, clean, 30 and 50 amp.,coin laundry at the camp store. Dump station and trash. Playground for children, view of the lake from most sites. Marina where you can rent boats. I just can't say enough about this awesome place. Friendly staff. I actually just stopped the ranger driving by to ask him a few questions. I am at site 9 this time. Usually 25. Some have inclines or declines. 9 has a slight decline  25 is flat. When you go to the map and click on a site it will tell you. Like site 23 is right next to a bathroom,  but it has a steep incline. So pay attention to that when booking. There are hiking trails and wildlife. The woodpeckers start about 6:00 am. LOL! I have not seen a snake in the camping area. Just deer and birds.

GlamperGirl

This campground has a bit of challenges depending on the site. I definitely recommend either scouting out a site before booking or researching well which site would be a good fit. Many along the water are flat &amp; easily assessable. We were at #35 that had a in-line that made it difficult getting even our small camper into it. We would definitely come back, but only if we were able to book one of the better sites. 

Also note that depending on the site the sitting area around the fire pit can be extremely small. Great sites - 37-41, 47-55. Hard incline - 2, 3, 35, 36, 22-24 

Also note there is a hill between you &amp; anything you’re wanting to do. 35 is next to a bathroom, but a hill to get there. We had friends book site 2, next to you on the map but large hill to get to them. Nothing absolutely horrible, just be aware before booking. 

Overall, absolutely beautiful place in the fall. The colors are gorgeous! The lookout tower at the office provides a beautiful view. Just careful what site you book. 